Hoisting apparatus



p 1942- c. A. MARTIN 2,29?,572

HOISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1942 s Sheets-Sheei 1 INVENTOR 'M dyad/$1., LQ BY y f, 4

ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 3942- c. A. MARTIN HOI STING APP ARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MM 4. vfiaA irl BY 7% ATTORNEYS SPt- 29, c A MARTIN HOISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 XML INVENTOR MVW 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1942 STAT E 5 par E FFIQE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable hoist and more particularly to a hoist of this character which is intended for lifting building material, such for example as concrete planks, from the ground and delivering the same to the roof of a building which is being erected or repaired.

Owing to the factthat buildings which are being erected or repaired vary in height, it has been a serious problem to provide suitable means for hoistin structural material from the ground to the roof or upper story of the same and for this reason it has usually been customary to erect a temporary derrick on the top or side of a building and provide hand operated tackle or rigging which not only required men on the ground for loading the material on the elevating means, but also men on the roof or upper floor of the building to unload the material, which operations were both slow and expensive.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a hoist of this character which permits of quickly elevating material from the ground to the upper part of a building by power and with the use of minimum manual labor.

Another object of this invention is to so organize the hoisting apparatus that manual labor is only required to load the material at the ground on the hoist, the discharge of the same to the upper part of the building or other elevation being eifected automatically thereby to expedite work of this character.

A further object of this invention is to so construct the main frame of the hoist in sections so that the same can be readily varied in height and adapted to suit varying distances from the 3\ ground or other loading place from which the material is taken to the roof or other place where the material is to be delivered.

A still further object of this invention is to permit loading the hoist from a truck at any level and to eliminate theuse of slings which are liable to cause damage.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portable hoist embodying a preferred form of this invention and showing the same installed adjacent to the side of ;a building for hoisting material from the ground to the roof of the building.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same viewed from line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the upper part of the apparatus.

taken on line 55, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the lower part of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross section, taken on line 'll, Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross section, taken on line 38, Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the hoisting apparatus showing a modification of the means for kicking the load forwardly on the carriage preparatory to being unloaded, therefrom.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the lower end of one of the frame side bars and the lifting mechanism mounted thereon.

In the following description similar characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Although this hoisting apparatus may be used in various ways for lifting material to an elevat-ion, the same is represented in the drawings for use in lifting material from the ground H] to the roof ll of a building. The main frame of the hoisting apparatus which is stationary while the same is in use and which supports the movable parts of the apparatus consists generally of an upright standard I2 which inclines toward the building and rests at its lower end on the ground or base while its upper part rests against the upper part of the building, and a platform l3 projecting from the top of the standard over the top or into an upper part of the building.

For the purpose of adapting the frame to buildings of different heights the same is constructed of a plurality of similar sections which are arranged end to end in a vertical row the opposing ends of adjacent sections being detachably connected to permit of using varying numbers of frame sections to suit the height of the building which is being served. The frame sections may be variously constructed and of different material, but each section is preferably constructed of metal as follows:

The numeral M represents two upright side bars which are arranged parallel and spaced apart laterally and each of these bars being constructed of channel iron and arranged with its lon itudinal groove or hollow side facing outwardly so that the corresponding grooves I5 of the respective side bars together form the rails of an upright guideway or track which directs the vertical movement of a material transporting carriag as will be described hereinafter. The two side bars of each frame section are rigidly connected with each other by cross bars I6 arranged adjacent to opposite ends of the upright bars l4 and X-braces connecting the intermediate parts of the side bars, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. The opposing ends of adjacent frame sections are detachably connected and although various means may be employed for this purpose it is preferable to provide the inner sides of the upper and lower ends of the side bars of each intermediate frame section with angle brackets l8 and connect the companion brackets of adjacent frame sections by bolts l9, as best shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 8. The upper ends of the side bars of the lowermost frame section and the lower ends of the side bars of the uppermost frame section ar provided with similar brackets I8 and connected by bolts l9 with corresponding brackets on the side bars of adjacent intermediate frame sections.

When in use the frame rests at its lower end on a base or footing board which lies on the ground and the upper part of the same is supported by brackets 2! which project rearwardly from the upper parts of the uppermost frame side bars and engage with the cornice 22 or other available part of the building.

Lateral displacement of the frame and the parts mounted thereon is prevented when the hoisting apparatus is in use by staying or bracing means which preferably comprise downwardly diverging guy wires or cables 23 connected at their upper ends to clips or lugs 24 on opposite sides of the upper part of the side bars of the frame and having their lower ends connected with suitable stakes or anchors 25 driven into the adjacent part of the ground, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Upon the upper end of the frame is arranged the platform or table which receives the building material which has been elevated, it being assumed in the present case that this building material consists of flat slabs or planks 26 of concrete for use in making the roof of the build-' ing. In its preferred form the body of this platform or table is constructed as follows:

The numeral 21 represents two horizontal body bars which project rearwardly from the upper ends of the uppermost frame side bars l4 and extend over the adjacent part of the top of the building. Each of these body bars is pivoted at its front end on the upper end of the respective frame side bars so that the same can swing vertically for adjusting the position of the platform to the relative position of the frame and the top of th building. This adjustment is effected by means of two inclined adjusting bars 28 each of which is pivotally connected by a bolt 29 with the rear end of a platform side bar 21, while the lower end of the adjusting bar 28 is provided with an upright slot 39 which receives an adjusting bolt 3! secured to the adjacent supporting bracket 2!, as best shown in Fig. 4.

On its upper side the platform is provided with a rolling surface consisting preferably of two longitudinal rows of transverse conveyer or transporting rollers 32 which are arranged transversely side by side and the rollers of each row being journaled at their opposite ends on longitudinal bearing bars 33 which are connected with each other by cross bars 34 and with the adjusting bars 21 by brackets 35. Upon loosening the bolts 3| the platform and the transporting rollers 32 thereon may be adjusted so as to bring the plane of the upper side of these rollers into the desired angle for rolling material over the same from the carriage to the top of the building.

The carriage which is movable vertically on the frame for lifting the building material from the ground to the top of the building may be varied in its detail construction to suit the character of the material which is to be hoisted. In the present case this carriage is more particularly adapted for hoisting flat or plate-like building material such as concrete slabs or planks 25 from the ground to the top of the building for use in making a roof thereon and in its preferred form this carriage is constructed as follows:

The numeral 35 represents two upright side bars which form parts of the body of the carriage and which are arranged along the outer side of the side bars of the frame. At their upper and lower ends these carriage side bars are provided with inwardly projecting pivot pins 31 upon which are journaled wheels or rollers 38 which run in the channels l5 of the track on the frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7. The numeral 39 represents two horizontal body bars which project forwardly from the upright main body bars 35 and are pivoted to the latter by bolts 40 so that the platform of which the bars 33 form a part can be "tilted more or less to suit requirements. Vertical adjustment of the horizontal frame bars 39 is effected by extensible bars each of which consists of upper and lower sections 4|, 42 having their extremities pivoted, respectively, by bolts 43, 44 to the front ends of the horizontal bars 39 and the lower ends of the upright bars 36. The opposing ends of the sections of each of these extensible adjusting bars overlie one another and may be slid one relative to the other for inclining the horizontal body bars 39 more or less and then held against relative movement. This is preferably accomplished by adjusting bolts 45 passing through one or another of rows of adjusting openings 46 formed in the bar sections 4|, 42.

The upper part of the carriage is constructed to form a rolling surface so that the planks or other building material placed thereon will move automatically by gravity from the carriage to the platform when the rollers of the carriage are elevated so that the plane of the upper sides of the same is in line with the plane of the upper sides of the platform rollers. This rolling surface is preferably formed by two longitudinal rows of transverse conveyer rollers 41 arranged transversely side by side and the rollers of each row being journaled at their opposite ends in a pair of bearing bars 48 which are connected with each other by transverse frame bars 49 and also with the carriage body bars 39 by brackets or standards 50, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and/l.

Various means may be employed for raising and lowering the carriage but those shown in the drawings are preferred inasmuch as they have been found satisfactory in actual practice. As there shown the lifting means for the carriage comprise a hoisting line or cable which passes with its upper and lower parts around upper and lower guide wheels, sheaves or pulleys 5|, 52 pivotally mounted respectively on the upper part of the upper frame section and the lower part of the lower frame section and forming an upper stretch 53 which extends downwardly from the front side of the upper pulley 5|, an intermediate stretch 54 extending from the rear side of the upper pulley 5| to the lower pulley 52, and a lower stretch 55 extending horizontally from the lower pulley 52. The upper pulley 5| turns about an axis which is parallel with the rollers 32 and 4'! and the adjacent side of the building and its front side vertically in line, or substantially so, with the front end of the platform at the upper end of the frame and the lower pulley 52 has its axis arranged at right angles to the rollers 32, 41 and the side of the building. The upper stretch of the hoisting cable or line may be connected with the elevator carriage in any suitable manner but preferably by means of an eye 56 which receives the lower end of the cable stretch 53 and is fastened to a cross bar 5! secured to the lower sections 42 of the carriage adjusting bars. By pulling on the lower end of the hoisting line the carriage and the load thereon will be raised and upon releasing this line the carriage will descend by gravity. The pull upon the hoisting line may be effected either manually or by power such as an engine or motor operated Windlass. During the ascent and descent of the carriage the same is guided by its wheels 38 running in the track formed by the channelshaped side bars of the frame whereby the movement of the carriage is positively controlled.

The planks or slabs for the roof are placed on the rollers 4'! of the carriage While the latter is at the lower end of the frame and when the carriage has been elevated so that the top of its rollers are on a line with the top of the rollers 32 on the receiving platform the planks or slabs are transferred from the elevator carriage to this platform. This transfer of the slabs or planks from the carriage to the receiving platform is effected automatically due to the rearward in clination of the upper bearing surfaces of the carriage and the platform so that when the upper side of the carriage is in line with the upper side of the receiving platform the load will slide by gravity from the carriage to the platform.

In the preferred construction the upper stretch 53 of the hoisting line is parallel with the tracks of the frame and arranged slightly in front of the plane of the front side of the upright bars 14 of the same, as shown in Figs. 1, 4. and 8. The 1 peripheral groove of the upper pulley 5! is deeper than the diameter of the hoisting line so that the front side of the upper cable pulley 5| pro jects slightly forward from the hoisting cable which passes around the same and also forwardly from the plane of the front side of the frame side bars [5 and also projects forwardly beyond the front end of the receiving platform. Due to this construction each of the building slabs or planks 26 while resting with its underside on the rollers 41 of the carriage will engage the central part of its rear edge by gravity with the upper stretch 53 of the hoisting cable, as shown by full lines in Fig. 4, but the front edge of this slab on opposite sides of its center will be out of engagement with the side rails of the frame and thereby avoid wearing the latter as the load is raised by the car iage. When the upper side of the carriage in its ascent reaches the upper pulley 5! the front side of the latter, due to its projecting forwardly from the hoisting line section 53, nudges, deflects or kicks the slab forwardly on the carriage, as shown by dotted lines 26! in Fig. 4, so that the slab as it approaches its uppermost position will not strike its rear edge against the front end of the platform but instead will clear the same and thereby avoid interference with the lifting of the slab. After the slab has been thus kicked or nudged forwardly by the upper pulley 5i and has passed above the latter,

the slab creeps rearwardly slowly without, however; engaging the front end of the platform, as represented by the dotted lines 262 in Fig. 4 and when the slab reaches its uppermost position the same slides freely without encountering any obstruction from the rollers of the carriage to the rollers of the receiving platform, as shown by full lines 253 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 andby dotted lines 263 in Fig. 4, thereby automatically unloading the slabs from the carriage to the platform. The path of the front edge of the plank when kicked forwardly by the pulley 5i and subsequently slides from the carriage to the platform is generally indicated by the dotted V-shaped line 264 in Fig. 4.

After the slabs have been transferred from the carriage to the platform the same may be disposed of in any suitable manner but the slabs are preferably received upon rollers 58 forming the top of a rolling conveyer, the frame or stand 59 of which rests on the top of the building and extends to the respective part of the building where the planks or slabs are to be used.

Instead of utilizing the front side of the upper hoisting pulley 5i as the means for deflecting the plank or load forwardly when the carriage is about to complete its upward travel, this result may be obtained by equivalent means such, for example, as two inclined deflecting arms 58 arranged vertically on opposite sides of the upper part of the frame and connected at their lower ends by brackets 59 with the adjacent parts of the side bars of the uppermost ladder section and having their upper ends extending forwardly at an angle across the path of the rear edge of the planks horizontally in line with the upper hoisting pulley 5|. During the last part of the upward movement of the carriage the rear edge of the plank resting thereon engages with the upper forwardly inclined ends of the deflecting arms 56 and the latter by a wedge or cam action cause this plank to be deflected or nudged forwardly on the carriage so the same clears the front end of the receiving platform and thereafter will slowly creep rearwardly and pass automatically from the carriage to the platform when the carriage reaches its uppermost position in the same manner in which this is accomplished by the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8 and heretofore described.

When the frame is first erected alongside of a building which is to be served the same may not be in exactly the best position to deliver the material which is to be hoisted or to cooperate with other parts of the apparatus or some particular location and when this condition exists the frame and the parts mounted thereon are shifted bodily laterally. the requisite extent to meet requirements; To facilitate such lateral movement of the frame rolling or trundling, means are provided which may run on the base board 255 on the ground or floor beneath the frame, which rolling means preferably include er side of the lower ends of the side bars of the lowermost frame section.

Means are provided for raising and lowering trundle wheels relative to the frame so as to permit the latter to rest securely at its lower end on the base board 25? or the door or ground when the hoisting apparatus is in use and also permit the lower end of the frame to be raised from the running board or base 28 and instead support the frame by the trundle wheels to permit of easily moving the frame sidewise. Varicus means may be employed for thus raising the trundle wheels or rollers 65 mounted on the trundle wheels into an inoperative position or lowering the same into an operative position, those shown in the drawings, for example, being constructed as follows:

The numeral 61 represents two rock shafts arranged adjacent to the outer sides of .the lower ends of the side bars of the lowermost frame section and each of these shafts being journaled in a bearing 62 on the adjacent part of the respective side bar. At its rear end each of these rock shafts is provided with an eccentric 53 upon which one of the trundle wheels 60 rotates and at its front end this rock shaft is provided with an arm or handle 64 whereby this shaft may be turned. The organization of these parts is such that when the handle or arm 64 is turned into a horizontal position the trundle wheel will be raised and permit the respective frame side bar to rest on its footing 20 or the like, as shown in Fig. 3, and when this handle is turned into a vertical position the respective trundle wheel will. be projected below the lower end. of the respective frame side bar and raise the same from the footing, as shown in Fig. 11, to permit of rolling the hoisting apparatus sidewise. When the handle is in an upright position the same engages with a stop 65 formed on a bracket 66 secured to the adjacent frame side bar M and this arm is held against this stop by the weight of the frame due to the center of the crank shaft at this time being slightly beyond the dead center of the eccentric 63, as shown in Fig. 11, thereby holding the frame at its lower end out of engagement from the footing 20 while being adjusted laterally to suit requirements. If desired the handle may be locked against accidental displacement while the frame is raised from the footing by means of a locking pin 6'! passing through the same and into the bracket 66, as shown in Fig. 11.

The guy wires or cables 23 are only required when the frame is very high and the conditions under which the ladder is used would increase safety but in most cases these wires or cables may be omitted.

When using this hoisting apparatus the carriage may be held in any desired location while in its lower position, as best suits the place from which the material is loaded onto the carriage.

If the planks which are to be elevated are taken from the ground, then the carriage is held at rest in its lowermost position, but if these planks are taken from a truck the carriage is raised sufficiently and held with its top at any level to suit the carrying surface of the truck from which the load is taken, thereby enabling the loading to be effected easily and expeditiously and with a minimum of labor.

This hoisting apparatus can be erected easily in a manner similar to using an ordinary ladder, lifting tower or derrick, it permits of readily and conveniently handling large awkward loads, such as planks or slabs, which cannot be handled easily by the conventional tower type hoist, it also avoids the necessity of placing the apparatus in any special position relative to the building which is being served and it also eliminates the use of any slings around the load which often cause damage to the building while the load is being lifted by the sling. Moreover, this apparatus is very light, yet strong and durable, considering the work it performs which permits the same to be easily erected for use and also knocked down for convenience of transportation and compactness in storing, and its several parts are constructed from standard materials thus permitting the same to be manufactured at comparatively low cost.

I claim as my invention:

1. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a platform mounted on the upper end of said frame, and a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and adapted to register its upper side with the corresponding side of said platform, said platform having a horizontal body pivoted at its front end on the upper end of said frame to turn vertically and adjusting means connecting the rear part of said body with the frame.

2. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a platform mounted on the upper end of said frame, and a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and adapted to register its upper side with the corresponding side of said platform, said platform having a horizontal body pivoted at its front end on the upper end of said frame to turn vertically, and adjusting means connecting the rear part of said body with the frame, and including adjusting bars pivoted at their upper ends to the rear end of said body and provided on their lower parts with longitudinal slots, brackets arranged on the frame, and adjusting bolts connected with said brackets and passing through said slots.-

3. A hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a carriage movable vertically on said frame and adapted to carry a load, and deflecting means for deflecting the load forwardly on said carriage during the last part of its upward movement.

4. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a platform arranged at the upper end of said frame and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and having a top adapted to support a load, and means for nudging the load forwardly on the top of the carriage during the last part of the upward movement of the latter for preventing interference of the load with the front end of said platform and subsequently permitting the load to slide from the carriage to the top of said platform.

5. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a platform extending rearwardly from the upper end of said frame and having an upper supporting surface, a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and having an upper supporting surface, the upper surfaces of said carriage and platform being inclined and the load to be lifted resting on said supporting surface of the carriage during the ascent of the carriage and sliding automatically from the carriage to the platform when the carriage rises to the level of the platform, and means for nudging the load forwardly on the carriage during the last part of the upward movement of the carriage for avoiding interference of the load with the front end of the platform.

6. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a platform extending rearwardly from the upper end of said frame and having an upper supporting surface, a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and having an upper supporting surface, the upper sur faces of said carriage and platform being inclined and the load to be lifted resting on said supporting surface of the carriage during the ascent of the carriage, and means for nudging the load forwardly on the carriage during the last part of the upward movement of th carriage for avoiding interference of the load with the front end of the platform, the upper sides of said carriage and platform being formed by conveyer rollers whereby the load is automatically transferred by gravity from the carriage to the platform when the carriage rises to the level of the platform.

'7. A portable hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a, platform extending rearwardly from the upper end of said frame and having an upper supporting surface, a vertically movable carriage guided on said frame and having an upper supporting surface, the upper surfaces of said carriage and platform being inclined and the load to be lifted resting on said supporting surface of the carriage and. sliding automatically from the carriage to the platform when the carriage rises to the level of the platform, and means for raising said carriage and nudging the load thereon forwardly during the last part of the ascent of the carriage including a pulley mounted on the upper part of the frame and having its front side projecting forwardly beyond the front side of the frame, and a hoisting line passing around said pulley and having a stretch extending downward from the pulley and connecting with said carriage and arranged in front of the plane of the front side of said frame, and the front side of the pulley projecting forwardly beyond said line, whereby during the main part of the ascent of the load with the carriage the rear edge of the load will engage with said hoisting line, and during the last part of the upward movement of the carriage the load thereon will be nudged forwardly by said pulley and prevented from interfering with the front end of the platform. I

8. A hoisting apparatus comprising an upright frame, a carriage movable vertically on said frame and adapted to carry a load, and deflecting means for deflecting the load forwardly on said carriage during the last part of its upward movement, said deflecting means including an inclined arm secured to said frame and having an inclined surface which extends across the path of the rear edge of said load and deflects the latter with a cam action.

CHARLES A. MARTIN. 

